Schools in Bratislava

In one of my posts I mentioned about an older post regarding schools in Bratislava and after checking my blog, I realized that it does not exist at all. Sorry.

When we arrived, it was obvious for us that Adrian would be attending Kindergarten in the German School. It is small, cozy and young, both kindergarten and school. It was paradise for us that Adrian can finally experience what we always wanted him to have. A kindergarten which is more play and learn than learn and learn as what he had in Asia. I salute the German School for its gradual increase in students, but the last two years, they have tremendous increase in number of students that they have to open a new class in the kindergarten. All being prepared for entrance to grade school. And this year it has been a fully accredited school by Slovakia. Success is mild but underway.

Luckily, it was easy or no question at all where Adrian would go. After asking around, I know that the Danes and Japanese has similar teaching methods with the Americans and the Spanish with the French. But what about those other nationalities in which they are neither German, nor British, nor American, nor French and has to decide which school is best for their child. There are lots of factors (financial, future university, location, language, quality, existence of similar school in another country, etc) for this and is always a personal decision what to choose. But I will make this blog short and give one opinion what my husband said, "Choosing the school of your child is not letting him learn an extra language but fully bracing the culture of that school."

With that I hope it makes it clearer where your child will attend school.

Happy schooling!

Advent Calendar and Advent Wreath

Being married to a German I was luckily introduced to two very old German traditions: the Adventskalendar and Adventskranz, Advent Calendar and Advent Wreath, respectively.

The Advent Wreath consists of some pine leaves four candles and originally three of them purple representing penance and a pink for the hope of the upcoming joy. The four candles represent the four Sundays before Christmas. Each Sunday one of the purple candles is lighted. And during that week only that candle is being lighted. On the last Sunday before Christmas, the pink candle is lighted. On Christmas eve, all the candles are changed into white. In accordance with this there is a small poem which goes:

Advent, Advent ein Lichtlein brennt
erst eins, dann zwei, dann drei, dann vier
dann steht das Christkind vor der Tuer!

I will try hard to translate:
Advent, Adven, a small light burns
First one, then two, then three, then four
then Baby Jesus is at the door.

Then we have an additional line to it:
Und wenn das fuenfte Lichtlein brennt
dann hast du Weihnachten verpennt.

And when the fifth little light is burned
well, you have just missed Christmas!


Ever wonder why those boxed Advents Calendar filled with chocolates are being sold before Christmas? Apparently in the olden days, old Lutheran families would count down the days by marking their door with a chalk line. Why the door? Because Child Jesus arrives at the door. Stephan has a very old frame which is filled with little doors and he opened one door every day to see what is behind that door, a small picture pertaining to Christmas. In Fiji, we had nothing like this so I had the seamstress or was it my household helper make small pockets decorated with shining gold numbers at random. Along a string we hanged them and each day of December, I opened one pocket. At night, I sneaked in to touch the pocket what will the next day bring me. Mostly during Christmas parents are more lax on giving their children sweets, so in those little pockets were few pieces of candy. It was a treat if I found snickers or a lipstick in it! Our helper and guard, both Salvadoreños and do not know the tradition, got everyday together with me some sweets placed upon their entrance to our house to start their working day.

So there you go. Get ready to buy the Wreath (can make it yourself too) and the Adventskalendar which I just bought one for Adrian at lunch today.

Happy Advent!

Law change gives younger drivers a go - The Slovak Spectator

Law change gives younger drivers a go - The Slovak Spectator

Eating Indian

Visiting recently a restaurant with an Indian inspired menu, it reminded me to make a post about the three Indian restaurants I know here in Bratislava.

Long time ago, I ate in Ganesh Restaurant, then still located at the center. On two successive days I was there, once at the buffet and once for fine dining. The lunch buffet was made to attract the working crowd and is done at the upper floor of the restaurant. Priced at 5 Euros, one gets rice, dhal, Indian bread, and choose from a veggie dish or meat dish. Not sure if there was dessert. For the fine dining downstairs, the place was beautifully and stylishly Indian decorated. Much to my disappointment, the food was on the sweet side. I have never been back since then.

A new restaurant called Bacchus, with an unending range of wine choices, Indian and Slovak cuisine and the undeniably exquisite brick tunnel ambiance was great. I have been there three times, first to taste, then on invitation and third for a farewell to someone. With these three visits, I have done my trial and error on ordering. The Indian food was good but it was not to what I was used to in India. Great to stick here on curries.

My favorite one is a small sneaky place called Ashoka. Not exactly my taste how they did the interior but it is the food which makes me keep on coming back. The Palak Paneer is so good I always wish for another one. The butter chicken so creamy and homely. And when I eat there and the lady owner in her saree is keeping me company, it just reminds me of the good old days in Dehradun.

Ah I believe I have tasted an Indian fastfood too in Aupark. Unless you are really craving for Indian food......well.

Happy eating!

Romeo a Julia by Balet Bratislava

If I did not know a Filipina ballet dancer member of the Balet Bratislava, I would have probably not gone to watch Romeo a Julia last night nor at any other night. In fact I was already heading towards Eurovea because of being used to watching at the Slovak National Theater. But last night it was in Nova Scena, a small quaint theater near the Presidential Palace.

I am not an art critic but what we saw last night was a very modern choreography of Romeo a Julia. We are in awe with the presentation of the story. It was fresh, very fresh, simple but just so beautiful. The dancers are so perfectly graceful and the expressions were just rolled in one great performance. And how they gave it all was seen in the faces of the audiences. Never have we in Bratislava experienced a standing ovation as long and as appreciated as this one. Well deserved!

Happy watching!